Chair



Sept. 9, 1941. E. B. MORGAN CHAIR Filed Nov. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 9 .B KTor'ym Erwin ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 9, 1941. E. B. MORGAN CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1938 INVENTOR. 1 J5. JYCZBrycLn E- 'VJJ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 erran Erving B. Morgan, Grand Rapids, Mich, assigno r to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 18, 1938, Serial No. 241,091

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to chairs, particularly chairs for theatres and the like having backs with separate upholstery members; and its object is to provide in such a chair improved means for detachably mounting the upholstery member thereon.

This and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative chair structure particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational rear view of a theatre chair;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof (enlarged), taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear view of lower portions of the chairs back;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an elevational rear view of the upholstery member of the chairs back;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional View of the chairs back and standards taken on line 8-6 of Figures 1 and 2.

My improved means for detachably mounting on a chair an upholstery member of the back thereof is illustrated by these drawings in connection with a type of theatre chair to which said means is peculiarly well adapted.

The chair illustrated by these drawings has a seat I and a back designated generally 2 supported by and between the side standards 3. This back comprises the fixed rearward frame or body member 4 of sheet metal or the like having a rearwardly-bowed middle portion 5, forwardly extending lateral flanges 6 fastened as by rivets l on the inner sides of the standards and having also a downwardly open socket or recess 8 at its top formed by its overhanging forward flange 9, said back 2 comprising also the detachable forward upholstery member designated generally It.

This upholstery member has a flexible front part, the sheet H of leather, fabric or the like, and a comparatively rigid rear part [2 of sheet metal or the like with stuffing l3 between these parts. The rear part l2 has a groove I4 in its rear side extending parallelly with its peripheral edge and formed by turning over its peripheral edge portion l5. These parts-the rigid part I2 and the flexible part H--are securely held together by inserting the rod I6 into the groove with the peripheral edge portion ll of the flexible sheet i I clamped on the rod by said edge portion it of the rigid sheet, as best seen in Figure 51.

The upholstery member is detachably mounted on the chair by thrusting its upper end I8 into the recess or socket 8 and turning the screws I9, journalled at 29 in the rearwardly extending free ends 2! of the catches 22 which are pivoted at 23 on the rear side of the rigid part l2, so that said screws enter the threaded openings 24 in the shelf 25 welded at 26 on the forward side of the fixed member 5, when the screws are turned the upholstery member is forced upwardly and its upper end is forced into its tightly seated position in said socket or recess as shown in Figure 2. It will be seen that the flat inner sides of the heads of these screws bearing on the under side of the free ends 2| of the catches force the upholstery member upwardly when the screws are turned.

These catches are turnable to the position shown in broken lines in Figure 3 to permit insertion of the rod I6 and surrounding portion H of flexible sheet ll into the groove M of the rigid part or sheet [2. When however these catches are turned to their operative position shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 and in solid lines in Figure 3, they extend over the groove I4 and the rod l6 therein and securely hold the rod in place.

It will be seen that the upholstery member, although securely held in place by my holding means, may be readily detached for cleaning, repairing or replacement.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. A chair back comprising: a rearward fixed member having a socket; a forward upholstery member movable along the fixed member into engagement in the socket, the upholstery member having a rigid rear part with a groove in its rearside extending parallelly with its peripheral edge, a flexible front part and a rod inserted into the groove with the peripheral edge portion of said front part held in the groove by the rod; and means for detachably connecting said members in assembled position including a catch pivoted on the rear side of the upholstery member and turnable into and out of a position over the groove for holding the rod therein, and a screw journalled in the catch and in said position thereof turnable in an internally threaded porperipheral edge portion of the flexible part held in the groove by the rod; means for detachably connecting said parts of the forward member in assembled position including a catch movably mounted on the rigid part movable into and out of a position over the groove and the rod therein for releasably holding the rod in the groove; and means for detachably connecting said members and moving the forward member into and holding the same in the socket in the assembled position of said members, said last mentioned means including a screw journalled in one of said members and threaded in the other member.

3. A chair back comprising a rearward fixed member having a socket adjacent its upper periphery, a bracket secured to the forward surface of the fixed member having a forwardly extending flanged portion provided with a bolt receiving aperture, a forward upholstery member movable relatively to the fixed member into engagement in the socket, and a screw threaded bolt screw threadedly disposed within said aperture adapted to engage the forward member for forcing the forward member into and detachably securing the same in said socket in assembled relation of the rearward and forward members.

ERVING B. MORGAN. 

